Defense Review - Latest Comments in M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues Part II: Diagnosing the root cause.

Re: M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues Part II: Diagnosing the root cause.

Fegelein — Mon, 05 May 2014 17:51:27 -0000

This problem isn't that the weapons CAN malfunction for known causes, it's that they DO malfunction and rather easily. I'll agree that the U.S. has some boneheaded ideas, such as buying disposable magazines, and then making soldiers sign off on those mags and promise to return them, meaning that we're forcing delicate, disposable mags to be used time and again. There's also the issue with using mags with insufficiently strong springs and without anti-tilt followers, so we have to underload them.
Looking through the proposed fixes, all I can really say is that such things simply are not feasible. If a weapon is really that persnickety with maintenance just to be sure to work, then that weapon is unfit for combat and war, where things go wrong, abuse and neglect are the norm, there are no chances to take time outs to baby equipment, and failures in equipment mean the different between life and death.
This place does good writing, however, I would have more faith in this site and these writers in general if the team was not in bed with the AR platform and terminally dependent on AR companies and tactical accessory makers for the AR to provide it's funding. It's a bit like asking a tobacco company to have an honest conversation about smoking, or asking a travel agent about the wonderful activities you can do around where you live.

Re: M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues Part II: Diagnosing the root cause.

johnpitchlynn — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:40:43 -0000

First let me say that I like the M-16. Not as much as an M-14 but I like the M-16. I carried this weapon off and on through a 40year - 4 wars USMC/USA military career...I've seen many improvements in the weapon over the years and each one has been a positive step in the right direction. It is miles above the piece of crap we carried in Vietnam. Colt is a great company...it makes great weapons. But the direct impingement gas system vs. Piston is a design flaw that must be changed. This will reduce fowling of the weapon. The Recent Army Test where the H&K outperformed all others told the story. The Piston just works better. So let's just do four (4) more things to the M-16 Family. 1. Do away with the gas line and switch to the piston. Two, make the barrel thicker and the same thickness from chamber to muzzle to stop the warping barrel problem. 3. Do away with the carrying handle in all versions and go with the rail. 4. Fix the front post and design an Iron sight elevation windage mechanism for the rail that can be removed for other type sights. These changes have been suggested before in the both the A2 Version and A3 Version. Colt and the Army did not want to do it. Why I don't know but there is no excuse not to do it now based upon the newest tests. You have all the proof you need. Not to do it is simple prideful obstinacy and contrariness. And Michael I absolutely agree with you that Maintenance and care of this weapons now is a big cause of the problems but ...with all due respect to your vast outstanding knowledge ...there is no such thing as a double feed...it is a failure to extract...caused by a weak bolt spring and a lot on sand during fire fights and lot of rain and mud during fire fights cause this weapon to fail at times even when the Marine or Soldier has kept up his maintenance just because it’s a 5.56 weapon and it's hard to shake out and because of the dammed gas impingement system. And that is speaking from hard earned experience.

Re: M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues Part II: Diagnosing the root cause.

Dan — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:26:17 -0000

I am going to take exception to the extra power CS buffer spring as a reliability enhancer. It has been my experience that they will, more times than not, cause the BCG to short stroke and not lock open on the last round. They may also cause a bolt over base failure by preventing full stroke of the BCG. I say go with caution on the buffer spring. A better solution would be a heavier buffer... H2 or H3 in the carbine with a standard spring.